The Education Act.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7928, 18 September 1905, Page 2

The Education Act.

Popular Election of Boards Appointment of Teachers Soma important 'changes in the law are proposed in the Education Act. |Amrislmeitt Bill Hnougfiti (down by Governor's Message. In the first place power Us given to the Governor to appoint ail Inspector General ot Schools, a Secrctary to the Department, and such other inspectors ol schools, clerks, and other otliccrs as may be deemed necessary. Education Hoards arc to consist, oi ten members, elected by the parents oi the children attending the puiijlic schools in the various districts. Each district is to be divided by the Board into five wards on the basis of the yearly average attendance for the schools, so that the number of children in yearly average attendance in each ward shall he as nearly as possible the same. Two members of the Board arc to be elected for each ward. Every person entitled to vole at elections of mem-, hers of School Committees will be entitled to v.ote all elections of mom'i(ers of the Board, ami the elections of meiffllifers of, the Board are to (be held at the same time and place as the School Commit lee elections. Present members of Education Boards are to retire ou the fourth Monday in April, I'JOG, and on tho same date in e\ery succeeding* year one member for each ward must retire, but will be eligible for re-elec-tion. The Secretary ot the Board is to be the Returning Officer. Each candidate must be nominated by at least two electors. The voting willj by hy ballot, and Chairmen of School Committees will act as De-puty-Returning Officers. A new departure is also proposed! in regard to the appointment of teachers. The Board must consult the Committee in regard to the appointment of teachers, whether by removal lro-m another school oi' otherwise, in the following manner ; —Not later than twenty days betore the day on which the appointment is to be made tlie Board must send to the Chairman oi the Cp«"'"■tcc a list containing the names ot all tile applicants, and a smaller iisi containing not more than six names (in order) of applicants whom tie hoard considers best Jilted to) fill such vacancy* the name of the teacher that the Board proposes to appoint being placed first. The Boa*d J""" ' i } lso .I'ot'ify the Committee on, what day it proposes to make the apporbtment. Tli e Committee must luttfy the Board j„ writing their agreement or disagreement with the Y l IU '° LH ' I - dl ' with the w i\ uch (lisa 6 r o;iucnt 1 not a ir than three days before the appointment is jo lie uu-de. The Hoard a , C .?"- 5 ." 1 5 the Notification (u y) reiened from the Committee, is,f n pM i ° m * ke ijie

in regard to teachers' salaries it is provided that as regards any, .Jt • f 1 al of any \par is placed in grade 'one or a i? iF a ' l ®' e salary o' «ny toach°i S t ii " ot ,)c r P (iu P('(i by reaiioij o| a la | in the average attendance pe|ow the salary payable, unless the mean aye.ragp attendance for the two H'fiis ending tile 31st December preceding |ias •bceji such as would reduce tlie grade of the school by one or more grades, but every teacher hei rafter appointed to a school is V/o m.'evvei the salarv .payalile 'for the grade to which the school ' tol.unss.

An amendment of the Act in regard to scholarships provides that aj scholarship holder shall receive tbev amount of his scholarship only sq long as lie prosecutes his studies diligently, to the' satisiactkm of the Board, at a secondary school or its equivalent approved by the Board.. The limit fon junior National ischojarships shall, it is proposed, be reduced j from! fourteem years; to 1 "thirteen years on the first day of the mouth in which the examination is held;." The number ol teachers and pupil teachers in the primary department of a VUstriclV/;li)|g)ti school 1 must V the same, and always and in all Respects as strong as in a public school with the same average attendance, and the head teacher must devote the greater part of his time and attention to the supervision and instruction of the classes in tho primary department. The i salaries of all teachers in tiro primary department arc to be based on the average attendance of tho primary , 'and s<:eond|ary dcp&rtrt ment's taken together, except that an additional amount, ranging from £2O to £6O, is provided for the head teacher.

The salaries of pupil teachers are as foMctos First,year, £25, wijtft an allowance of £2O if obliged to live away from home ; second year, £35, with an allowance of £ls; third year, £45, with an allowance of £lO ; fourth or fifth year, £55, with an allowance of £5,

A. new scheme of salaries is provided, increasing salaries (chiefly the smaller ones) to the extent of £26j--000, as an assistance towards the contributions they will be called upon to pay under the Teachers' Superannuation scheme.—Post,